The compassionate release of Megrahi

Any consequences for international relations and diplomacy?

On the 20th August 2009, the only man who was imprisoned for life over his involvement in the Lockerbie bombings of 1988 in which 270 persons were killed mostly from the USA and the United Kingdom, Abdul Bassit Ali Megrahi was released from jail in Scotland under what the Scottish authorities described as “compassionate” release.

In the words of Kenny MacAskill the Scottish justice minister, Megrahi was suffering from terminal cancer and was therefore being release to “Go home and die”.

News about the release of Megrahi even before he was released generated furious reactions globally. Opinions were divided sharply about his release. Some were of the view that, it was wrong for Megrahi to be released for what they claim was for bilateral and economic reasons accruing to the Scottish government. To this people it was wrong for Justice to be traded for any other benefits.

Some of the relatives of those who died in the bombings wondered how somebody who never showed compassion to his victims was shown compassion only 8years into his life imprisonment. To these categories of people, what the Scottish Authorities did in their words was 'stupid, senseless, and an insult to the families of those who were still grieving'. They added that justice was being abrogated by the release of Megrahi.

Others also were of the view that, it was wrong to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds to enjoy the honour of not only dying on his bed, but also in the company of his wife Ayisha, children and family.

To some there was nothing wrong at all releasing Megrahi either on compassionate grounds or on any other grounds. Infact a father who lost a Daughter in the bombing was heard on BBC on the 20th August 2009, saying that, he did not believe that, Megrahi was even responsible for the death of the 270 persons and still believes that, there was the need for an inquiry into the bombings.

The view of some was that, there was in fact nothing wrong with giving Megrahi what he could not give others.

Things got more interesting, with other school of thought saying that, there was nothing different between Megrahi who killed 270 persons and Osama Bin Ladin. To such people Megrahi was nothing less than terrorists and should have being allowed to rot in jail.

The United States of American (USA) even before the compassionate release of Megrahi had objected to it in very strong terms. Some congressmen wrote a protest letter to the Scottish government requesting that, any plans to release Megrahi must be abandoned in respect to those who lost loved ones and in the interest of justice.

Hillary Clinton, the secretary of State of the U.S. also wrote a letter to the Scottish government kicking against Megrahi's release. Readers should be reminder here that, the U.S.A suffered the most casualties in the Lockerbie bombings.

Inspite of all these protestations, the Scottish government went ahead and released Megrahi on compassionate grounds saying that, much us Justice must always be seen to be done, the Scottish judiciary system allows compassion to be shown to convicts and for that matter, they were not breaking any law in what they wanted to do.

On the day of the release of Megrahi, an Afrikiyah plane arrived at the Glasgow Airport to pick him to Tripoli. It was like his release was already secured and there was no turning back.

When he was finally released, and drove to the Glasgow International Airport, he was shown on BBC television walked unaided by any person but with only his walking stick. These also generated opinions, with some wondering how a terminally illed cancer patient who only has months to die could walk the way he did into the waiting Afrikiyah plane.

The talks moved from whether he should be released or not to how he was to be received on arrival home in Tripoli.

When Megrahi finally arrived at the Airforce base in Tripoli, he was given what the media described as a Hero's welcome comparable only to the reception usually granted celebrities and the Usain Bolts. The reception accorded Megrahi back home angered persons who were against his release in the first place. Their reason was that, terrorism and a terrorist was being glorified!!

While President Obama describe the release of Megrahi as a mistake, the Whitehouse addressing the press on the 21st August, 2009 described the reception that Megrahi received as “outrageous and disgusting” and said it was waiting to see how events will unfold in the coming days and weeks.

Alex Salmond, the Scottish first minister in an interview about his views on the Hero's welcome that was given to Megrahi on arrival home and whether they regret his compassionate release said no and added that, “Scotland was not responsible for the Hero's reception accorded him and that, there was nothing wrong with his release”.

It emerged also that, before the return of Megrahi to Tripoli, Prime Minister Brown had written personally to Muamar Gaddafi, requesting that, the return of Megrahi be “low key” in other not to anger relatives of those who were killed.

The questions to ask are; will the release of Ali Abdul-Bassit Al-Megrahi affect the relationship between Scotland and the US? Inspite of the objection of the US to his release?

Will relationship between London and Tripoli also collapse? Especially as it has now emerged that, Brown had written to Brother Gaddafi to ensure that, Megrahi was not given a Hero's welcome?

Will relationship between the US and Tripoli improve or retrogress considering the fact that, the Whitehouse was against the release of Megrahi?

Was it for trade, bilateral or for economic benefits accruing to Scotland that Megrahi was released or he was truly released out of compassion?

It must be explain that, at the time of writing this feature on the 21/08/09, Gaddafi had not yet made any comment on the Hero's welcome granted Megrahi.

Prime Minister Brown, though condemned the celebration that greeted Megrahi's reception in Tripoli, has not been heard or seen to have made any comment on the substantive case of whether Megrahi should have been released or not.

Here in the UK, the conservative leader, David Cameroon is mounting pressure on Brown to comment on the release of Megrahi.

One thing that keeps on popping up is whether Megrahi in the first place was actually the real person who undertook the bombing and whether his imprisonment was another example of miscarriage of justice.

Another interesting dimension emerging is that, could Megrahi alone have committed the crime? If no, where are/is his accomplices?

Well let's keep on watching as the events keep on unfolding.

Credit: Akilu Sayibu, Uk
Email: Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk

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